February 16, 2012

Judge SLAPPS Breitbart

A #judge takes A. #Breitbart to task in explaining why a #defamation lawsuit won't be stopped in its tracks.

In a terse, six-page "statement of reasons," U.S. District Judge Richard Leon spelled out why he would not dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed against Breitbart by Shirley Sherrod. Sherrod is the former Georgia-based Agriculture Department official who says Breitbart defamed her when he posted a selectively edited clip of her talking about racism.

Breitbart sought to get the case dismissed under D.C.'s anti-SLAPP law. Denied, he then demanded to know the reasons. At an appeals court direction, Judge Leon does so, with an occasional dig at Breitbart; adding, for instance, this:

"Regrettably, it appears that the defendants will not be satisfied with this court's ruling until a considerable amount of judicial and litigant resources are expended on its 'novel' if not overreaching motion."

Actually, it appears this judge got slapped by the court of appeals and the judge appears to be making excuses in this decision of why he was too lazy to issue a decision.

The truth is that Breitbart only told the truth from Sherrod's own mouth. He did not defame Sherrod; Sherrod defamed Sherrod. Breitbart also did not fire Sherrod. They offered her job back, so it seems Sherrod is trying to do nothing and sue Breitbart's widow and children for money she did not earn.

ABOUT THIS BLOG

"Suits & Sentences" is a legal affairs blog written by Michael Doyle, a reporter for McClatchy's Washington Bureau. He was a Knight Journalism Fellow at Yale Law School, where he earned a Master of Studies in Law; he also earned a Masters in Government from The Johns Hopkins University with a thesis on the Freedom of Information Act. He teaches journalism as an adjunct instructor at The George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs.